OVERVIEWGrapes and
OVERVIEWGrapes and wineGrowth in exports to the US might be stymied.The increases in the number of cartons of tablegrapes exported by South Africa to the US mayhave been brought to a grinding halt by PresidentDonald Trump.Although the bulk of South African table-grape exportsfind their way to the EU (about 55%) and the UK (20%) therewere hopes that North America was going to become amore fruitful destination. The same was true for raisins andfor wine, all staple products of the Northern Cape. SouthAfrica is one of the world’s top exporters of grapes andraisins. In table grapes only Chile and Peru rank higher interms of volumes.The 2023/24 season saw a 17% increase in South Africa'stable grape exports compared with the season before,with 73.5-million cartons exported.The South African Table Grape Industry (SATI), thebody representing producers, noted in April 2025 thatthe previous five seasons had seen a 28% growth of freshgrape exports to the US. In response to the projectedlevying of tariffs on South Africa, SATI said, “It wouldprofoundly impact the South African table grape industry and disruptits export flow. This also presents risks for jobs in various farmingcommunities in South Africa.”There was some good news for the industry a month earlier. InMarch 2025 it was announced that South African table grapes weregranted market access to the Philippines. SATI, the national Departmentof Agriculture and the Department of International Relations andCooperation have been working for some time on gaining access to newmarkets, particularly in the East.Dippenaar Choice Fruit, an Orange River region grape producer whichis headquarted in Kakamas, exports to seven countries in South-East Asiaand the Far East, including China and Singapore. Exports of South Africangrapes and wine to China have been on an upward trend for severalyears but South Africa’s wine exports are still subject to tariffs on enteringChina, despite both countries being members of BRICS.The region has 5 688ha of vines and the Orange River ProducerAlliance represents its farmers. According to SATI, the grape industry in theNorthern Cape employs 1 215 people permanently, with a further 12 415people finding seasonal work. Harvesting happens from early Novemberto early February.Almost a third of South Africa’s table grape crop is produced in thisfertile region. The South African table grape industry has been investingTasting wine near the Orange River is aspecial experience.SECTOR INSIGHTA new market has opened inthe Philippines.in hardier varietals which producea better yield.The Northern Cape has just 3%of South Africa’s vineyards but 18%of the nation’s white wine grapesare cultivated along the OrangeRiver. Within the region, about 64%of grapes are white seedless andabout 21% are red seedless (SATI).The Orange River wine regionaccounts for 25.6% of SouthAfrica’s Colombard vines and 10%of Chenin Blanc. The focus is onColombard and Hanepoot grapes.Orange River Cellars (ORC) is theregion’s biggest producer, sourcingNORTHERN CAPE BUSINESS 2025/2630PHOTO: ORC
OVERVIEWits grapes from what is known as theGreen Kalahari. The variety of soil fromwhich ORC wines is drawn is extremelyvaried, allowing for the production of awide selection of wines and brandies.The company has expanded significantlyover the years and now encompasseslogistics to deliver its wines (Orange RiverTankers), an export division (Norweco)and Prosperitas Farm which producesexport-quality raisins that includesultanas and several varieties of raisins.The Douglas Wine Cellar producesabout 6 000 cases per year. Together withthe Landzicht cellar (in the Free State),Douglas Wine Cellars is a GWK company.The Douglas cellar crushes 7 000 tonsof grapes every year and produces5.6-million litres of wine. Hartswater Wine Testing raisins in the dry lane.Cellar is a part of the region’s other bigagricultural company, Senwes.Two wine brands (Overvaal and Elements) are produced in theHartswater irrigation area north of Kimberley. Vinpro represents2 500 South African wine grape producers, wineries and winerelatedbusinesses.RaisinsAbout a quarter of raisins exported by South Africa go to Germany,and in the 2022/23 season, extra attention was paid to that market interms of the quality of fruit, with the aim being to produce fruit withfew residues.Industry body Raisins SA is leading efforts to improve farmingpractices with a view to improved products. Specific areas of focusinclude improved soil preparation, drying infrastructure and trellissystems and using water more efficiently. The recent adoption of SA-GAP (derived from the Global Good Agricultural Practices) is helpingONLINE RESOURCESSA Wine Industry Information & Systems: www.sawis.co.zaSouth African Table Grape Industry: www.satgi.co.zaVine Academy and Model Farm: www.vamf.co.zato raise and maintain standardswithin the sector. With certification,small growers and producers aremore easily able to have to accessto international markets.The Vine Academy and ModelFarm officially opened in Kakamasin 2023, providing a significantboost for viticulture educationand training in the Northern Cape.Kakamas is an appropriate settingfor an educational institution of thissort as it was the ingenuity of earlyfarmers in the Kakamas area who,through a sophisticated system ofcanals that drew water from theOrange River, ultimately created athriving table grape export sectoraround the town. Raisins, dried fruitof many sorts, peaches, oranges anddates are also farmed and exportedfrom the area to this day. ■PHOTO: Raisins SA31NORTHERN CAPE BUSINESS 2025/26
